This USDA program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

Eligible borrowers include:

• Public bodies

• Community-based non-profit corporations

• Federally Recognized Tribes

Grant assistance is available based on population and median household income, ranging from 15% to 75% grant eligibility. Please review the information page for further details.

$10 million in funding is now available through Round 17 of DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Grant Program. Of the $10 million dollars available for this round of grants, $3 million is set aside for communities with populations of 65,000 or less.

Award Range: $50,000 – $2.5 million

The New York Farm Viability Institute is pleased to announce an opportunity  in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The program will provide $1.7 million to support beginning farmers in building financially sustainable, independent, commercial agricultural enterprises throughout New York State.

Eligible uses: 

• Start-up, improvement or expansion of farm operations

• Purchase of land, machinery, equipment, or livestock

• Construction or improvement of structures

• Marketing initiatives

• Worker or apprenticeship training

• Other business needs tied to financial impact

Eligible Applicants:

• New York beginning farmer with 10 years or less of farm operation experience, and who will materially and substantially participate in operating a farm in New York State.

• Applicants must demonstrate the potential for the project to grow the business and improve financial sustainability. All applicants whose farm generated less than $1,000 in the previous year must provide a business plan.

• Proposals may support a business that produces any type of agricultural product, with the exception of cannabis.

The Environmental Facilities Corporation is offering a total of $3,000,000 toward Engineering Reports for Wastewater Infrastructure across New York State.

They fund the development of an engineering report, which is an eligibility requirement for financing. This program helps ensure fiscally sound and well-designed projects are advancing to construction. Grants of up to $100,000 are available for inflow and infiltration studies. Grants of up to $50,000 are available for all other projects.

Get reimbursed for 50% of your septic system project, up to $10,000.

Contact Naturally Lewis to learn about their 2026 Funding Opportunities! 

1. Building Business Fund,

2. Business Retention Fund,

3. Community Connections Fund,

4. Launch Lewis County,

5. Small Things, Big Impacts Fund,

6. Events and Festivals Fund

7. Student Pitch Competition
8. Vacant Property Revitalization Fund

Applications for all programs are currently open, with quarterly deadlines.

The Community Grants Reinvestment Fund (“CGRF”) was established under New York’s Cannabis Law to reinvest in communities. The goal is to create equitable, positive, and lasting impacts by investing in community-based programs that offer youth-focused initiatives and wraparound services tailored to local needs in communities disproportionally harmed by prior federal and state drug policies. 

This competitive grant program supports the design, construction and renovation of public playgrounds across New York State. NY PLAYS helps communities expand access to safe, welcoming outdoor spaces that promote physical activity, emotional well-being, and in-person social connections for children and families.

The NYS DOS is offering two grant programs focused on climate change and flood resilience, with $39,000,000 in total available.

1. Coastal Rehabilitation and Resilience projects- minimum award size of $300,000 
2. Inland Flooding and LWRP Implementation projects- minimum award size of $150,000 

The program requires a 10% match. 

Eligible applicants vary slightly for the two programs, but include municipalities, Not-For-Profits, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and New York State Agencies and Authorities. For inland flooding projects, only villages, towns, and cities are eligible to apply.

Eligible actions include climate resiliency and risk reduction through nature-based interventions, habitat restoration, stormwater management, and/or local waterfront revitalization. 

The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects. Applications will compete in two separate categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas. Eligible applicants include Public Body/Government Entities, Indian Tribes, or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas.

Note: There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority.

Contact the local USDA office with questions:

Watertown Area Office

Voice: (315) 782 – 7289 Ext. 4

21168 NYS Route 22

P.O. Box 838

Watertown, NY 13601